Cars and Transformers Prime, Oh My!
by Stormy - JML Ranch
Summary: This is what happens when my mind decides to take a detour. XD Come along and join me as I go around battling evil Decepticons, racing for Piston Cup glory, and restoring old cars. Hang on tight for it's going to be one wild ride! Rated for Cybertronian and human swearing, and whatever else my mind decides to come up with.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Updated version! Caught some typos and spelling errors. SO sorry! *hides face in shame***

"Thank goodness it's the last day of school!" I exclaimed, running out of the high school building to the parking lot. Today was a big day for me, mainly because my dad was taking me with him to look for another car to rebuild. My dad and I both love restoring old cars, and my 1992 Dodge Dakota truck was no exception. I had found it sitting in someone's front yard one summer, rusting away. The owner told me I could try to fix it, warning me that it probably would never run again. I made a deal with the owner- if I could get it to run again, I get to keep the truck. If it doesn't run, the truck would go back to the owner. That was 5 years ago, and I was only 13 at the time.

"Let's go home, shall we?" I asked the old Dodge as I started up the engine. Grinning, I pulled out of the parking lot and headed for home. I listened to the steady hum of the 243-horsepower engine as I guided the bright white vehicle along the back roads. It wasn't very long before I was pulling under the carport of my house.

"Hey kiddo, how was your last day of school?" Dad asked me as he stepped out of the house.

"Pretty boring. All my classes did nothing today. Only noteworthy thing to happen today was the sweet sound of freedom ringing at the end of the day," I grinned at him.

"Ready to go to the car lot?"

"You betcha!" I whooped, jumping into our tan Dodge 3500 dually.

* * *

><p>I was walking around the car lot, looking at various cars and trucks while Dad was talking to the owner. I hadn't really found anything worth restoring, and was just simply wandering among the rusted-out vehicles when I stumbled across something you don't see in a car lot everyday.<p>

A red and blue custom-built Peterbilt sat in the sunlight, practically brand new. I thought my jaw had hit the ground as I took in the sight. Walking up to the semi truck, I looked closer. The metal seemed…scarred? Eyebrows furrowing in confusion, I inspected the welds that riddled the metal. Whoever had welded this truck did a really great job, because I saw no fault in any of the welds. I walked around to the front, and instead of a Peterbilt logo like I expected, I saw a boxy-looking face. _Where did I see this? This symbol looks familiar…_ I thought to myself, sifting through my memories. Then it hit me like a load of bricks.

"Holy scrap… I hope it's not who I think it is…" I mumbled to myself as I inspected the engine. Shrugging, I wrote the thought off as delusional. I spotted my dad and the owner walking towards me.

"Excuse me, mister. Do you know what happened to this Peterbilt?" I asked the owner. The owner looked at the truck for a moment, thinking.

"The guy who brought it in said that it was 'possessed' or something like that. It hasn't done anything since it came in." He replied, shrugging. "I think the guy was just paranoid."

"Hmm… How much are you willing to let it go for?"

"Make a offer?"

"Alright. Well, the truck obviously has had major bodywork done. Something really tore it up, so I do not know if the undercarriage is sound. Engine looks to be in good shape, but there's some rusting on it. Fuel and air tanks, brakes- everything else looks pretty good," I listed off, working out some numbers in my head. "So, how about…$60,000?"

"Done," he held out his hand, and I shook it.

"Now… Got anything weird, wacky, or unusual around here?" I asked, grinning. I love anything that is out-of-the-ordinary.

"I sure do. It's in the back of the lot," the man smiled back, leading Dad and I to the back. "This next car is recent- came in three days ago. It was involved in a major race car accident that happened last week."

I nodded my head. I had heard about the wreck. Apparently, one of the drivers lost control of their car, ran into another car and caused a big 10-car pileup. Some of the cars caught on fire, putting several drivers in the hospital.

"However… this car is not like any ordinary racecar I've ever seen."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"Instead of a windshield, it has a metal sheet," he pointed to the racecar. The paint was charred, but I could see some stickers and paint still showing through. The car had once been fire engine red. Curious, I walked closer. I rubbed my hand on the roof rail, coating my palm with black soot. Under the black soot was some yellow lettering.

"Dad? Got a rag on ya?" I asked. He tossed me a rag. I caught it with ease. "Thanks."

Using the rag, I rubbed away more of the soot, revealing the rest of the lettering. I stared at it for a moment, not wanting to believe my own eyes.

It spelled out a name- a name that I had seen in a movie before. The name was Lightning McQueen. _I must be going crazy…_ I thought to myself. _There's no way Optimus Prime and Lightning McQueen are in my universe. They're characters for crying out loud! Well, I guess I'll just go ahead and take him too._

"Dad?" I looked at Dad with an expression that clearly meant I wanted to talk to him. Dad walked over to where I was currently standing next to the racecar.

"I know I already bought the custom Pete, but I'm pretty sure that this car came from the same universe Doc H. did," Whispering in a low voice so the car lot owner wouldn't overhear us, I told Dad what I was thinking at the moment. He looked at the ground, thinking about what I said. Just then, he notices the yellow lettering on the car. His eyes widens in surprise and slight shock.

"By God… I think you're right," Dad looks at me, stunned. "I'll let you get this one too."

"You-you're serious?" I spluttered.

"Yep. I won't make you work this summer even. Your hands will be full enough already with OP and Light."

"Wait, OP? I already know whom you meant when you said 'Light', but I don't understand what you meant by OP," I looked at Dad, slightly confused.

"OP as in the leader of the Autobots?" Dad smirks at me, eyebrows rising playfully.

"Leader of the Auto… Ohhh," I finally understood what he meant. He was referring to the custom Peterbilt. Shaking my head, I grinned at him as I walked towards the owner. "You goof."

"What are you looking to get out of this one?" I asked, nodding towards the racecar. The owner scratched his head, thinking.

"Well… I have no idea what year and make it is, or its history beyond the wreck. And there's the issue with the windshield. I'll give it to you for free."

"Alright," I answered, surprised by his reply. I held my hand out, and he shook it. The three of us headed to his office to sort out the paperwork and pay for the Peterbilt. After that was done, Dad called a tow truck to haul the semi truck back. Moving the trailer, I pulled around to where Lightning was and backed up the trailer. The loading went smoothly, and before long Dad and I was headed home.

* * *

><p>The sun was beginning to rise, painting the sky with beautiful colors. I had gotten up early to start working on the latest arrivals. Pausing to look at the sunset, I took a deep breath. A charred hood was leaning against the wall, out of the way. Leaning over, I looked at Lightning's engine, inspecting the damage.<p>

"You poor guy…" I murmured softly, writing down another repair to a long list of repairs I already found. To name a few, he needed new filters, new hoses, and new belts. I had already gone over the Peterbilt, and was shocked at how little needed to be done. A few minutes later, I was finally finished inspecting the engine.

"Now let's see what we have under here…" Lying down on the creeper, I rolled under Lightning.

"Broken drive shaft, bent front axle, no tailpipe… Dude, what the pit did ya run over?" I groaned, rolling out from underneath. Sitting up, I opened up the notepad I was writing the list in. After writing everything down, I stood up. An engine pulled up in front of the open garage.

"Morning Doc," I walked out, wiping my hands on a rag.

"Morning Julia," the cobalt blue 1951 Hudson Hornet replied. "What are ya working on this summer?"

"A custom Peterbilt and a racecar of unknown origins. The racecar was involved in the wreck that happened last week. I just finished going over both of them."

"Ah. How much needs to be done?"

"The Pete needs new fuel lines and filter, engine oil change, and transmission oil checked," I pulled out the notepad, opening to the second list. "However, I'm wondering what the heck happened to the racecar. Dried out hoses, broken engine belt, busted radiator, bent front axle… the list keeps going."

"Ya seem to always pick cars with a lot of problems. Which one are ya going to start with?" Doc Hudson shook his front end in amusement. Two summers ago, I had been looking at cars to restore when I ran across an old Hudson Hornet. On a whim, I bought the car off of the dealer and brought it home. A few weeks later, I was working in the garage on another car when I found out that the Hornet was alive. Boy, was I shocked when I found out he was the Doc Hudson from the movie!

"The racecar. I have a feeling it's going to take a long time to repair it. I'm going to start with the axle and driveshaft so I can get it where it's easier to move around, then tackle the engine," I replied, grinning. "The drive shafts and axles I have in the garage are not rated for racing, so I need to go to the store."

I returned two hours later with the best driveshaft and axle I could find. I'm really lucky that Dad has a job that pays him very well, which allows me to be able to get the top-of-the-line stuff for the cars. Nearly all the cars that I restore end up sold. The only cars I got to keep so far were my little old Dodge and a four-wheeler (I refuse to say that Doc belongs to me because he's a living car, for crying out loud!). As a result, the Dodge still has most of its original parts. The four-wheeler is a whole another story altogether. I replaced the old engine for a motorcycle engine with a supercharger, and swapped out the transmission as well. Whenever I bring my four-wheeler to a party, Dad will point at me and holler "There's the four-wheeler on steroids!"

"Here we go… Let's get this party started," I said to myself, retrieving the tools I needed to remove the old driveshaft and axle.


	2. Chapter 2

By the end of the week, I had replaced the driveshaft, axle, and put on all new brake system. I was sitting at my workbench, trying to decide what to work on next. Flipping the page, I went back to the list for the Pete. I had worked on semi trucks before, so I had a good idea of how long the repairs would take.

"Alright, I'll give Light a break today and work on Big Boss. Shouldn't take me too long to do all this stuff," I mused to myself, rising from my seat. Walking over to the cabinets, I started gathering what I needed. I heard a soft creak right behind me, causing me to freeze for a moment, listening. All I heard was silence. Shrugging, I returned to what I was doing. As I was setting the parts in a box, I heard another soft creak. Slowly, I turned my head, looking behind me.

The semi truck was moving ever so slightly, the movement so small that if I hadn't held still, I would have missed it. With a knowing smirk, I turned around all the way to face the Peterbilt, crossing my arms in front of me.

"Welcome back to the land of the living. Don't transform- you'll hit your head on the ceiling and give yourself a headache. You're probably wondering where you are right now. You are sitting in my garage, which is well hidden from civilization," I spoke calmly, knowing that the Autobot was likely going to be slightly jumpy and on edge.

"Oh… Thank Primus," he let out a hiss of air, which sounded like a sigh of relief. "What is your name, young one?"

"Julia. You're Optimus Prime, am I correct?"

"Yes…" He sounded surprised. "How did you know my name?"

"Long story short, you're in another universe- one where, technically, you're not supposed to exist. You're a fictional character here. There's more to the story, but that's for another day. Oh, and you don't have to worry about those blasted 'Cons here, I might add," I replied, grinning as I said the last part.

"No Decepticons? Well, that's a big load off of my processors."

"I bet. But if they somehow end up in this universe, I will personally kick their afts and send them to the deepest part of the Pits."

"And how would you plan on doing that?" he snorted slightly.

"Confuse them with some random, unintelligible nonsense while getting closer. Then when I'm next to them, I'll climb up their leg all the way to their back. I'll pull out my knife and sever their main energon lines in their neck," I stated casually, setting the last hose in the box, then picking it up and carrying it over to Optimus' side.

"Lady, you have to be half nuts. That's the most absurd idea I have ever heard," Doc said, rolling up to the garage door. He had overheard some of the conversation.

"I ain't no lady, Doc! I'm a reckneck Texan; ya know that! And I'm not half nuts- I'm completely insane," I shot back, grinning. Upon hearing this, both Doc and Optimus started laughing at the same time.

"You crazy woman," Doc chuckled, shaking his front end in slight amusement.

"And damn proud of it. I want to introduce you to someone," I set the box down on the ground. "Doc, this is Optimus Prime. He's from another universe like you. Optimus, this is Doc Hudson."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Optimus nodded his front end at Doc.

"Likewise," Doc replied, nodding back.

"May I ask how you ended up here?"

"I don't really remember much," Doc admitted, sighing slightly. "I remember getting hit on the hood by something and blacking out. When I woke up, I was sitting right where you are right now and saw her."

"He thought he was seeing things, and kept saying that it was all just a dream. I picked up a bucket filled with water and dumped it right on his hood," I added, popping the latch and lifting the hood up. "Boy, did I get him good! He blasted his horn, jumping a good _five_ feet backwards. Never dreamt I would see something like that in my lifetime."

"Well, that's because the water was _freezing_!" Doc growled, glaring at me.

"Be thankful it was just water. It could have been much worse," Shrugging, I picked up a wrench and the new fuel lines. "Optimus, I want you to let me know if you feel any pain at all."

"I will," Optimus rumbled, sinking lower on his axles. "What did you mean when you said 'it could have been much worse'?"

"The bucket could have been filled with cow poop, dog poop, mud, or old motor oil instead of water," I replied, saying it only loud enough for Optimus to hear. The metal started to shake. I started to smirk, hearing the muffled snickering and knew that he was attempting to contain his laughter. Working rapidly, I removed a cracked fuel line and the new one was in its place before any fuel could escape.

"How did you end up here?" Doc asked Optimus, turning his engine off.

"Well… I was out on a brief patrol with two others, Bumblebee and Arcee, when a nasty rainstorm forced us to seek shelter. We came across a cavern that was large enough to allow us to transform and be fairly comfortable. The storm just kept on going, and after a few hours I called base. I was informed that the rainstorm would go all night, and so I thought it was best to remain where we were for the night. Just as I was about to go into recharge, a large boulder hit me, knocking me out."

"Ouch. Explains the sizable dent on your roof that I pulled out this morning," I stood up, feeling my back crack as I bent backwards to soothe the muscles that were sore from reaching into the depths of Optimus' engine.

"Julia, quit making your back pop! You're creeping me out," Doc shuddered, having heard my bones crack.

"Well, if I don't do that often enough, my back starts getting stiff and sore," I replied, picking up the fuel filter and then installed it. Walking to the back of the garage, I reached up and hoisted the creeper that was hanging on a hook. I then set it down next to Optimus, grabbed a large oil pan, and positioned it under the engine oil drain to catch the old oil. Lying down on the creeper, I rolled underneath and removed the plug.

"Prime, when was the last time you had your engine oil changed?" I asked, rolling out from under with a mild glare on my face.

"Uh… A while."

I raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for more.

"2 years… I think," he sheepishly replied, sinking even lower over his axles.

"I…" I started to say something, but stopped. For the first time in my life, I was so furious I was at a loss for words.

"When she goes silent, that's a bad sign," Doc whispered to Optimus. "Either she's upset, about to go on a rant, or she's going to give you a lecture you won't forget."

"Why?" I finally asked, keeping my voice even. "Why did you neglect something so important?"

"The war. I was always out in the field, out on the front lines. The Decepticons are relentless. They keep attacking, over and over, never giving us the chance to take a break," Sighing, he shifted his weight slightly. "I was always thinking about the others, concerned about their wellbeing. Not even once did I think about myself. I had decided early on in the war that I would sacrifice my own health to ensure the safety of the others. And I also had the responsibilities that comes with being a Prime."

As I listened to Optimus explain, I realized that he had gone through hell and back. It wasn't his fault that he couldn't easily keep up with his health, and I felt my anger change to sadness and sympathy.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," I murmured softly, resting my hand on his door. "After all, fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing."

"True. Wait a minute, were you quoting me just now?" he asked in a playful tone.

"Maybe…" I sang, pulling the now-full oil pan out from under and grinning at him.

"You are one interesting femme," he chuckled.

"Oh, she's interesting, that's for sure. You haven't really seen anything yet…" Doc remarked.

"Hey! Watch it, Doc," I warned him, waving a 16-inch adjustble wrench in the air.

"Alright, alright, just don't throw that thing at me!" Doc laughed, backing up a few feet.

"Woah, woah, woah, where did you get that from?!" Optimus squeaked in alarm, leaning as far away as he could from me.

"I ain't telling you," I replied, casually tossing the wrench up into the air and catching it a few times. Seeing that Optimus was leaning away from me, I smiled softly at him. "Don't worry, I wasn't going to whack you with my favorite wrench."

"Okay…" Slowly, he eased his frame back to where he had been. I quietly put my wrench back in its holder, which was hidden in my right boot.

"Alright, let's get that oil drain closed up so I can put in some fresh oil," I lied back down on the creeper, grabbing the plug. Rolling back out, I stood up and retrieved the correct oil.

"This is going to be a while," I sighed as I hoisted up the first jug.

**AN: Gotta love Optimus' reaction to me pulling a Ratchet. XD**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Say what? Two chapters in one night? Yep, I'm on a roll! :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Transformers or Cars. They belong to their rightful owners. I only own the storyline and my craziness.**

**Warnings: Language and me pulling another Ratchet XD.**

"Woot! All done now. You should be good to go," Setting down the last jug; I put the lid back over where I had poured the oil in.

"Thank you," Optimus sighed, clearly feeling better. I walked around him, picking up the wooden blocks that had been holding him in place. Tossing them to the side, I walked out of the garage.

"You can pull out if you want to," Walking over to Doc, I flopped across his hood.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Doc huffed.

"Gonna just stay here, and not move," Turning my head, I grinned at Doc. His eyes narrowed at me.

"Whatever, Miss Hatchet."

_CLANG!_

"OW!"

"Don't call me that. You know I hate being called 'Miss Hatchet,'" I growled at Doc, wrench raised. We both glared at each other, not giving in. Optimus started chuckling at the two of us. Raising an eyebrow, I lifted my head to look at the red Peterbilt.

"What's got you laughing?" I asked.

"It's just… you reminded me of a certain grumpy medic I know."

"Ratchet?"

"How did you guess?" he froze, flabbergasted.

"Remember what I said about earlier about you being a fictional character here?"

"Oh, right… Can you name who else is on my team?"

"Easy," I snorted, sitting up on Doc's hood. "Besides you and Ratchet, there's Jack, Miko, Raf, Bumblebee, Arcee, Bulkhead, Smokescreen, and Ultra Magnus. Oh! Can't forget that crazy Wheeljack."

"Wow. You're good. How did you know all their names?"

"Erm…" I trailed off, thinking. "Well, there is a television show called Transformers Prime. That's the one you're in. I'll have to show you it sometime. Honestly, I don't think the show did you much justice. It seemed like they did not want to portray you as someone who has a lot of emotions. I kinda wish they had done a better job."

"Huh. What about the others?"

"I think Ratchet was too grumpy towards the kids at first. He threatened to send Miko to her parents in Japan once, I think."

"Oh, he did."

"What?" I looked at him with shock. "He really did that?"

"Yes."

"Oh my goodness. Crazy medic," I shook my head, grinning. "Well… Aren't you going to pull out of the garage or what?"

Optimus rolled forward out of the garage and stopped. Tilting my head to one side, I looked at him in slight confusion. I hadn't heard his engine start at all, which made me worry.

"I didn't hear your engine start… Are you alright?" I asked, getting off Doc's hood.

"Yes. I can move myself without needing the engine. Now, you may want to cover your ears…" he replied, a hint of mischief in his tone.

Before I could get my hands up to my ears, a loud roar filled the air. I watched as black smoke poured out of the twin exhausts for a few seconds, and then disappeared into the air.

"Ugh, I think I'm deaf now…" Doc groaned, shutting his eyes in slight pain.

"Thank goodness I'm already deaf," I groused, rubbing my ears. "At least I don't have to worry about making myself even more deaf."

"Now that's not fair at all," Doc turned to look at me.

"Well, at least I can just turn my hearing off any time," Grinning, I reached up to the sides of my head and pulled the magnets off. "Lalalalalaaa… Can't hear you now, can't hear you now," I taunted, skipping around Doc.

"Show-off. And put yer cochlear implants back on before ya lose them again," Doc smirked at my alarmed expression.

"Don't even go there…" Growling, I glared at Doc. He just ignored me.

"She was riding her horse one time, and the battery in her cochlear implant died. Well, she had no idea it fell off until she went to take it off to go swimming. Boy, did she freak!" Doc laughed, ducking to avoid the wrench I threw at him.

"Did you ever find them, Julia?" Optimus asked me.

"Yes, thank Primus. They aren't cheap. They cost a few thousand dollars."

"Hmm. Doesn't sound too bad for both."

"They cost a few thousand dollars…each." Optimus did not say anything, shutting his engine off, and I knew he had to be trying to get his processors around it.

"Don't think too hard about it, otherwise you may glitch. Anyways…" I chuckled, walking over to Doc's side. "Aren't you going to transform and stretch out?"

"Now that's a good idea," Optimus rumbled, turning his engine back on.

Doc and I backed up a few feet, watching the red Peterbilt transform, parts whirring, sliding, and clicking into place. _Damn, he's even hotter in real life,_ I thought to myself, gawking at the Autobot leader towering above me. His armor shone in the sunlight, making him even more handsome. Doc noticed me staring at Optimus, and nudged me with a tire. I glanced at Doc momentarily, and he smirked. Shooting Doc a look that clearly meant 'don't even go there', I quickly looked back at the ground.

"Are you alright?" Optimus crouched in front of Doc and me, directing the question to me.

"Y-yeah. I-I'm fine," I stammered, feeling my cheeks heat up with embarrassment. Trying to hide the deep blush on my face, I walked back to the garage. "Pardon me. I-I'm going b-back in t-to work on t-the other car."

**AN: Oooo... Is that love I am starting to see? XD I'm so cruel to myself.**


	4. Chapter 4

**JML Ranch:** O.o The last time I updated this thing was in the summer...  
><strong>TFP Optimus:<strong> Apparently so.  
><strong>JML Ranch:<strong> I feel so bad for making the readers wait so long... but life got in the way, and my brain went off on a few tangents.  
><strong>Gunstorm Prime:<strong> How many stories have you started and never finished?  
><strong>JML Ranch:<strong> I will not disclose that information, thank you very much. Besides, you're in the wrong story.  
><strong>Gunstorm:<strong> I know. *smug grin*  
><strong>JML Ranch:<strong> -_- Gunny... just go back.  
><strong>Gunstorm:<strong> Fine... *goes back to the correct story*  
><strong>Dodge:<strong> Do I need to leave as well?  
><strong>JML Ranch:<strong> Nah, you're fine. You're the only OC that is in multiple universes. *looks out of screen* OH! Sorry, I forgot to introduce Gunny and Dodge... Gunny was the stray OC that went back to where she belongs, which is in the story called Almost Hopeless. She's also in another story titled The Fire Down Below that I plan on starting to upload sometime in the near future. It's already on my deviantArt, you can find the link on my profile. Dodge is a OC with two forms- y'all already know his Cars form, and he has a Transformers Prime form now. Sadly, his TFP form won't be in any of my stories in the near future, but don't fret! He will be in my artwork for sure-I already have one of me standing on his shoulder. I've rambled long enough... Let's get the story back up and running!

* * *

><p>"Uhh! There, now that's secure," Tightening the last bolt, I finished replacing the manual transmission. A month had passed by already, and it was now early July. I had been working from sunrise to sunset every day, and all of Lightning's major repairs had been completed. He had brand-new front axle, drive shaft, disc brakes, exhaust system, and manual transmission. Also, I had taken his engine apart, rebuilt it, and put it back in. Before, his engine had only put out 750 horsepower. I had rebuilt it so it was even more powerful than before- it now put out a whopping 850 horsepower! To counteract the horsepower, I had put in a temperature sensor that would limit the horsepower to 810 until his engine reached optimal running temperature, and it would turn off at that point. The new transmission also had a temperature sensor, also limiting the horsepower to 810.<p>

"Alright, let's look at the list…" I muttered, standing at my workbench and flipping through the notepad. "Yep… did that… and that… well, it looks like the only thing left is to put in the new battery and he's ready for some fresh paint."

Closing the notepad, I picked up a battery that was designed to withstand the temperatures it would encounter in a race. I lowered the battery into the holder, and then secured it in place with a piece of flat metal that was designed to hold the battery down. With great care, I connected the red wire to the postitive terminal first.

"Here we go. Let's see if he wakes up," Connecting the black wire to the negative terminal, I finished connecting the battery. I took a few steps back, crossing my fingers behind my back and praying that he would come out of his coma.

Time seemed to pass slowly. Suddenly, a front tire twitched. I kept watching, antipication building up rapidly. Finally, he started to open his eyes.

"Wha-Where am I?" he asked softly, his voice rough from lack of use.

"In my garage. You've been in a coma for over a month. You're lucky that the damage was as bad as it was. I was able to repair all of it, however."

"Oh, thank goodness…" Sighing, he looked at me. "Whoa! Who are you?!"

"I'm Julia."

"Okay… I've never seen anything like you before. What are you exactly?"

"A human being."

"I-I thought that was just a legend."

"Actually… You somehow ended up in a parallel universe where you're not supposed to exist in real life. You only exist in a movie here."

"Woah, you mean I'm in an alternate universe where I only exist in a movie?"

"Correct. I know it sounds crazy, but it's the truth."

"Okay," Noticing his hood leaning on the wall, his eyes widened in surprise. "What happened to me? The last thing I remember is crashing into another car in a race."

"Most of your paint got burnt. I'll have to sandblast it all off, and then repaint. Speaking of painting, what would you like?" I grinned, walking over to a rack that contained all the paints. He noticed my old Dodge, which was sitting next to him.

"Like the colors?" I asked, smiling when he stared at the truck.

"Very much. Is that stripe maroon?"

"Yes." He looked at the truck, lost in thought for a few minutes.

"Would that look okay on me?" he finally asked, looking at me.

"Hmm…" I hummed, thinking. Picturing Lightning in my mind, I played around with different sizes of stripes, trying to determine what would look the best on him. "Do you want the stripe just on the sides or do you want the stripe to cross your trunk lid as well?"

"Just on the sides. And maybe have it fade to white as it gets close to the back?"

"Now _that_ would look awesome. First, let's get the old paint off," I grinned, picking up a dust mask and protective glasses. I walked over to the workbench, reached under the counter, and pulled out the sandblaster. Adding more sand, I topped off the vessel that contained the sand. I turned the air compressor on, and while I was waiting for it to pressurize fully, I covered various areas in the garage with plastic. I did not want sand everywhere. Picking up the charred hood, I set it over Lightning's engine and fastened it.

"You ready?" Pulling the dust mask down and picking up the sandblasting gun, I turned the sandblaster on. I walked over to Lightning's side.

"Does it hurt?" I asked as I adjusted the settings, trying to find the right ones that would allow me to blast the paint off without any damage to the metal.

"No. Actually, it feels pretty good," Lightning replied, relaxing. I paused for a moment, pulling out my phone.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm plugging in my phone so I can play some music. I like to listen to music as I work," Plugging in my phone, I picked a song and hit 'play.'

_Whooo umm yeah...  
><em>_Life's like a road that you travel on  
><em>_When there's one day here and the next day gone  
><em>_Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand  
><em>_Sometimes you turn your back to the wind  
><em>_There's a world outside ev'ry darkened door  
><em>_Where blues won't haunt you anymore  
><em>_Where brave are free and lovers soar  
><em>_Come ride with me to the distant shore  
><em>_We won't hesitate  
><em>_To break down the garden gate  
><em>_There's not much time left today_

"What song is that?" Lightning asked me.

"Life Is a Highway by Rascal Flatts," I replied as I worked.

_Life is a highway  
><em>_I wanna ride it all night long  
><em>_If you're going my way  
><em>_I wanna drive it all night long_

_Through all these cities and all these towns  
><em>_It's in my blood and it's all around  
><em>_I love you now like I loved you then  
><em>_This is the road and these are the hands  
><em>_From Mozambique to those Memphis nights  
><em>_The Khyber Pass to Vancouver's lights_

_Knock me down get back up again  
><em>_You're in my blood  
><em>_I'm not a lonely man  
><em>_There's no load I can't hold  
><em>_Road so rough this I know  
><em>_I'll be there when the light comes in  
><em>_Just tell 'em we're survivors_

_Life is a highway  
><em>_I wanna ride it all night long  
><em>_If you're going my way  
><em>_I wanna drive it all night long_

_Gimme gimme gimme gimme yeah_

_Life is a highway  
><em>_I wanna ride it all night long  
><em>_If you're going my way  
><em>_I wanna drive it all night long_

_There was a distance between you and I (between you and I)  
><em>_A misunderstanding once  
><em>_But now we look it in the eye_

_Ooooo...Yeah!_

_There ain't no load that I can't hold  
><em>_Road so rough this I know  
><em>_I'll be there when the light comes in  
><em>_Just tell 'em we're survivors_

_Life is a highway  
><em>_I wanna ride it all night long  
><em>_If you're going my way  
><em>_I wanna drive it all night long_

_Life is a highway  
><em>_I wanna ride it all night long  
><em>_If you're going my way  
><em>_I wanna drive it all night long_

_Life is a highway  
><em>_I wanna ride it all night long  
><em>_If you're going my way  
><em>_I wanna drive it all night long_

_Life is a highway  
><em>_I wanna ride it all night long  
><em>_If you're going my way  
><em>_I wanna drive it all night long_

_Gimme gimme gimme gimme yeah_

By the time the song finished, I had gotten about a quarter done on one side. Sighing, I wiped sweat off my face and kept going. Two hours went by before I knew it, and I was now halfway done with his roof, which was the last thing left.

"Do you know anyone else who came from another universe?" Lightning asked, looking up at me.

"Yep, two others. One is from the same universe you are."

"There's someone from the same universe as me?"

"Correct."

"Any chance I may know him or her?"

"Maybe."

"Wonder who it could be."

"You will have to wait and see."

"Aw, man," he pouted slightly.

"I'm done now," I chuckled, putting the sandblaster away quickly. Pulling the wooden blocks out, I tossed them to the side and opened the garage door. I walked back in, standing in front of Lightning and placing my hands on his hood. "Alright, I'll push ya out."

Lightning rolled backwards easily, his bare metal shining in the afternoon sun. When he had backed up far enough, I quit pushing him and he stopped. I raised an eyebrow at him, noticing the mischievious glint in his eyes.

"LIGHTNING!" I squealed, moving quickly out of the dust cloud. He had shaken himself like a dog, sending an enormous dust cloud into the air. The smug expression on his face told me that he had done this on purpose. "You stinker!"

"What's going on? Is everything alright?" Doc hollered, skidding to a stop in front of us.

"Everything's fine, Doc. He was just being silly," I replied.

"Who?" I just nodded my head towards Lightning. Doc looked at him in slight confusion.

"Doc?!" Lightning spluttered in surprise.

"No way…" Doc blinked in shock. "Rookie, is that you?"

"Yep," I nodded my head. "I just finished removing the charred paint. That's why he looks so different."

"You sure do know how to hide some things," Doc shook his front end, sighing. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I wanted to surprise you. Plus, he was in a coma. He woke up this morning," I explained. Lightning was looking around, checking out the surroundings. Noticing a vehicle resting under a large tree next to the garage, he nudged me with a tire. I looked at him, and he pointed to the red Peterbilt.

"How did that truck end up here?" he asked, curious.

"He's not exactly a truck," I replied, a lopsided grin making its way onto my face. "You'll see why in a minute. Optimus? You awake?"

Optimus flashed his headlights, indicating he was awake. Engine turning over with a loud rev, he rolled over to where Doc, Lightning, and I were.

"Lightning, this is Optimus Prime. He's from another universe," I introduced Lightning to Optimus. "Optimus, this is Lightning McQueen. He's from the same universe Doc is."

"Hi. Nice to meet you," Lightning nodded at Optimus.

"Likewise," Optimus rumbled.

"Alright, go ahead and show him."

* * *

><p><strong>SO SO SORRY about the long wait! I am trying to get some of the stories on here updated, provided that I am not overwhelmed by schoolwork.<strong>

**That's all for now! Until next time, this is JML Ranch transforming and rolling out! **


End file.
